Tire band machine



Jan. 26, 1932. F. J, sHooK K TIRE BAND MACHINE Filed Dec.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 26, 1932. v F. JlsHooK 1,842,428

Tm: BAND MACHINE yFiled Deo. 13, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 Flo/ain JAY/10063, @VMM/Mm,

25 vaway and in section, illustrating my Patented Jan. 21:3, 1932 UNITEDl `STATES l PATENT, oFFlcE rLoaAIN' J. snoox, oF more, omo,` AssIGNon 'ro NAT-IoNAL RUBBER MACHINERY COMPANY, or AKRON, omo, A conoaArIoN or omo TIRE BAND morirme Application led December 13, 1929. Serial 11'0.` 413,786.

This invention relates to tire-building malchines and especially those of the drum t e for buildingiiat or semi-flat bands to shaped into pneumatic tire casings. f) One, of the objects ofmy inventionis to provide improved means for positive'l feeding rollers or stitcher wheels over t e tire form'to compact the components of the band uponeach other. A further object is to pro- 1() videimproved means for automatically reversing the travel of the stitchers at the limlt of ,thelr'outward feeding movement and returning them .to theirstarting positions;

A still further object is to automatically accomplish a dwell of the stitchers in rolling contact with the material on the drum before commencing their feeding movement, in order to avoid the occurrence of a ridge at the middle of the band or other point where the feeding movement begins, said dwell being followed by feeding travel of the stitchers. These and other objects are accomplished vby the mechanism hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings. Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken proved tire-building machine.

Fig. 2'is` a' rear elevation thereof, partly broken away.

nism and feedlscrew from the section plane 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fi 4 is a 'partial front elevation and sec# 27 tion om thev plane 1 -4 of Fig. 1.

' In the illustrated embodiment I have shown stitcher arms pivotedl for movement into and out of operative relationl with the drum, together with a screw-and-nut gearing embodying a reversible feed-screw and halfnuts actuated by the respective arms to enf. gage the screw in the elevated and depressed positions of said arms respectively, for"posi ytively feeding the stitcher arms, together with arm-feeding brackets mounted on guides parallel with the feed-screw and having a lostfmotion connection with the nut members for 'effecting a dwell of the stitcher wheels. This mechanism is simple, compact andpositive in its action, ut Athe fundamental" principles of its structure and' mode of operation floor or'base. secured at their ends in Fig.`3 is a plan view of the stitcher mechamight be variously embodied, and the invention is not wholly confined to theparticular form here shown.

In the drawings, 19 is arotary tire' form,

in this case a semi-fiat band-building drum having ay substantially cylindrical, middle portion 11 and conical end portions or bead seats 12 of smaller diameter. ySaid drum is fixed on the outer end of a horizontal shaft 13 mounted inbearings in a casing 14 which contains the psual driving'motor and changespeed gearing controlled b a pedal 15.

,Located at the back of t e machine, below the level of the drum 10, is a horizontal screw shaft 16 having 'right-hand and left-hand screw threads 17,18 for 'feedin' the two stitchers in opposite directions. aid shaft is mounted to turn in bearings in a-bracket 19 mounted on the back wall of the casing 14 and an outer bracket 20 sup orted on a 21,22 are a pair oi)guide-rods said brackets and mounted parallel .with the screw shaft 16 above and below the latter.

Slidingly mounted on the guide-rods 21, 22 are a pair of stitcher-arm supports consisting of feed-brackets or frames 23, 23, each comprising upper and lower guide-sleeves 24, 25 integrally connected by a pair of vertical side plates or bars 26, 26 apertured for the free passage of the screw shaft 16. l A pair of disk-like rollers vor stitcher wheels are mounted to turn freely on horizontal arbors carried at the forward ends of a pair of stitcher arms 28, each forming part of a lever pivoted on a pintle 29 between a pair of ears 30 which carry' projecting forwardly from the side plates of the brackets 23. The rear end of each stitcher arm is formed with a forked hub portion 31, and between the sides of the fork is mounted 'a nut member 32 adapted to turn and alsontoislide axially upon the pintle .29.

the pintle, said ears Y 'portion 168L of the screw shaft while the upper alf-nuts remain in registry with the threads.

The outer ends of said half-nuts are adapted for engagement with thel respective outer and inner side plates 26 of the brackets23, the

aggregate length of said half-nuts being sllghtly less than the distance between the sideplates to provide for a lost-motion connection or pickup between the nut vmembers and the brackets.

For swinging the ,stitcher arms 28 lfrom'r the depressed, inoperative position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1 to the. operative osition indicated in full lines, -and thus ringing their stitcher wheels 27 against the ltire material on the drum 10, I'provide each of the arms with a lever arm 35 projecting 'formed by the rear end of al screw 3Q on the V arm 35 engaging a stop shoulder 40 on the bracket casting. Cylin er 38 is connected by a pipe 41 with a suital` le control valve,.not

v shown.

An angular lost-motion or'pick-up connection is provided between the stitcher levers28 and the nut members 32 by means of a lug 32a on each nut member, located in the path of a mating lug or flange a on each lever arm 35. On the 'up-stroke of the stitcher arm, the corresponding nut member falls by gravity to bring its upper half-nut 33 into mesh with the er side of the screw thread, and the lugs 325,) 35* then separate while thepstitcher .arm continues; its upswing to bring its stitcher wheel against the` band on the drum, vthe stitcher being then free to .follow the contour of the band. On the down-stroke,lthe stitcher `lever picks up the nut member,'unmeshingl the upperhalf-nut and finally meshing the v lower half-nut 34 with the under. side of the thread to gear the stitcher parts for their return movement. v

For reversibly rotating the screw shaft '16, its end is extended to carry a splined clutchcolla-r 42 having respective members of a pair of positive jaw clutches, one of which is adapted to engage a complemental clutch member 43 formed on a sprocket wheel 44 loosely surrounding the screw shaft, andthe other to engage a complemental lclutch member '45 ona shaft 46 driven by an electric motor 47, there being a reduction gearing 48 interposed be tween sald motor and shaft. 'i Sprocket wheely 44 is driven through a cha'in 49 froma smaller sprocket wheel 50 -on the drum shaft 13.

Sprocket 44 rotates at a relatively-slow speed .the feed stroke of the stichers.

to impart the outward feeding movement to the stitchers as compared with the shaft 46 which rotates atea relatively-high speed to impart the stitcher-returning movement.

Clutch-sleeve 42 is axially moved by a rocker arm 51 loosely'pivot'ed on a suitablysupported rock-shaft 52 which is adapted to be engaged with some lost motion by fork lugs 53 on the upper arm of a rock-lever 54, the latter being yieldingly urged by a pullspring 55 in a direction to engage the collar 42 with the reversing clutch member 45.

Clutch lever 54 isheld in the position indicated in Figi to engage the collar 42 with the stitcher-feeding clutch member 43 by engagement of a pin on its lower end with a shoulder 4 on the horizontal arm of a latchlever 56Y pivoted at 57. The vertical arm of saidA latch ever is pivotally connected with one end a horizontal trip-rod 58 whose other end is slidingly supported in a tripping and guide ear 59 on the rear side of the inner feed bracket A23, said rod having adjustably fixed thereon a trippin engagement by the lug 59 at t e outer end of For manucollar 60 for ally setting the rock-lever 54 in the latched y rposition shown in Fig. 2, with the clutch sleeve 42 and member 43 engaged, its rockshaft 52- is extended through the casing 14 tothe frontvthereof and provided with .a

handle 61 for turning it.. Rock-'shaft 52 may also be employed to actu'ate the valve for controlling the stitcher-setting cylinder 38 to charge the same when rock-lever 54 is thrown to its latched positionfjust described, and to discharge it when released and thrown by the spring 55 to the op osite position.

In the operation ci) this machine, assuming the stitchers 27 to have been brought together and depressed to their inoperative positions, and the drum 10 in rotation with tire material thereon, the operator turns the handle 61 to charge the cylinder 38, thereby elevating the stitchers against the material on the drum and-dropping the nut members 32 to mesh their upper half-nuts 33 with lthe threads on the screw shaft 16, and at-the same time to throw the rocker arm 54 to the latched osition indicated in Fig. 2 and engage the c utch members 42 and 43', thus rotatin the screw chain and sprocket gearing in a direction to feed the-stitchers outwardly.

The stitchers dwell in their 'initial position at the center line ofthe drum for several revolutions of the latter while the half-nuts 33 are traveling outwardly to close up the spaces between their outer ends and the inner faces 'of the bracket'rsid) plates 26, thereby more fully rolling down the material at the center line' and avoiding a ridge at that point. Thereupon the outward travel of the brackets beglns and; the stitchersfare fed across" the drum,rolling down and compacting the plies of tire material upon each other. vWhen the 'st1tchers reach the outer edges of the band,

the lug 59 on one of the brackets 23 encounters the the trip collar 60 on the rod 58, thereby turning the latch-lever 56 to release the rocklever 54 and permit its-spring 56 to reverse the position of the rock-shaft 52. This discharges the cylinder 38, allowing the stitchers to drop to the broken-line position indicated in Fig. 1, bringing the abutments-35a against abutments 32a to raise the rear ends of nut members 32 and bring their lower halfnuts 34 into mesh with the threads on the screw shaft 16, at the same time shifting the clutch arm 5l vto bring the clutch sleeve 42 and member into engagement so that the motor 47 reversely rotates the screw shaft to return. the stitchers to their, initial positions at a faster rate than their outward feeding speed, the brackets 23 dwelling for a short time prior tothe beginning of their return movement until the lower half-nuts have closed up .the spaces between'themselves and the inner side plates `of the frames. At the completion of the return movement of the stitchers, the lower half-nuts 34 run oli' the inner ends of the screw threads 17 and 18 and the movement of the stitchers ceases while rotation of the screw shaft continues The machine is then ready for another cycle of operations after another ply of material has been placed upon the drum.

I claim:

1. In a tire-building machine, the combination of a rotary tire form, a stitcher movable thereover,

stitcher, motor means, and reversing means interposed between said motor means and driving gear.

2. In a tire-building machine, the combination of a rotary tire form, a stitcher having an operating feed and return movement thereover, driving means for said stitcher,

motor means, and a reversing device interposed between said motor means and driving means and automatically controlled by the traverse of the stitcher.

3. In a tire-building machine, the combination of a tire stitcher, driving means for imparting feeding and return movements to said.

stitcher, and reversible power means for operating said driving means, including a shiftable driving element controlled by the traverse ofthe stitcher.

4. In a tire-buildin machine, the combination of a Vtire stitcher aving opposite feeding and return movements, gearing for imparting said movements, aligned reversely-rotating motor-driven clutch devices for operating said gearing, and a shiftable clutchmember reeiprocally coacting with said clutch devices and controlled by the traverse of the stitcher.`

5. In a tire-building machine, the combination of a tire stitcher, driving means for imstitcher wheels a positive driving gear for impartn ing feed movement to said l tire stitcher,

parting feeding" and return means thereto, motor means for actuating said driving means, a shiftable element in the driving train having a setting device controllable by the operator for connecting said motor means with the driving means to impart said feed movement and biased to a y stitcher-returning position, and a retaining device for holding said element in its stitcherfeeding position, said retaining device being actuated by the traverse of the stitcher to release the shiftable element.

6. In a band-building machine, the combination of a 'rotary band form, a stitcher movable thereover, gearing' for imparting feed- 80 ing and return movements thereto, motor means, and reversible driving connections between said motor means and gearing adapted to impart a relatively-slow feeding movement and a faster return movement to the stitcher.

7. In a tire-building machine, the 'combination of a rotary tire form, a pair of movable thereover, a pair of stitcher-wheel carriers interconnected for opposite feeding movement, a rotary power shaft for imparting lsaid feeding movement, and reversible driving means for rotating said shaft.

8. In a tire-building machine, the combination of a feed-screw, a pivoted stitcher arm, half-nuts associated therewith for alternatively engaging opposite sides of said screw, and a tire stitcher carried by said arm.

9. In a band-buildin machine, the combination of a rotary ban drum, a screw shaft mounted parallel therewith and having right and left threads, a pair of stitcher arms pivoted for movement toward land from said drum, half-nuts yassociated with said arms and movable thereby into engagementwith opposite sides of the respective screw threads, and band stitchers carried by said arms.

10. In a tire-building machine, the combination of a feed-screw, a guide parallel therewith, an arm support movable along said guide, a stitcher arm pivotedv on said support, half-nuts associated therewith and engageable with opposite sides of thefeed-screw, and a tire stitcher carried by said arm.

11. "In a tire-building machine, the combi- 115 nation of a feed-screw, an-arm support guided for movement parallel therewith, ,a stitcher arm pivoted on said support and having a a nut member pivoted on the support and having two half-nuts engageable with opposite sides of the feed-screw, and a lost-motion connection between said arms and nut member. E

12. In a tire-building machine, the combination of a rotary tire form, a tire stitcher, driving mechanism for feeding said stitcher, and means for automatically accomplishing a dwell of the stitcher in Contact with the material on the rotating form before the stitcher begins its feed movement.

` .13. In a band-building machine, the combination of a rotary band drum, a pair of stitchers having opposite feed movements over said drum from a position substantially together, outwardly to the edges of the drum, and feeding means for so moving the stitchers, including a lost-motion device for accomplishing a dwell ofsaid stitchers in' contact with the material on\the rotatingdrum, and the inner end of their stroke, before beginning their outward feed movement. l

14. In a tire-building machine, the combinationl of a rotary tire form,`a stitbher arm having a tire stitcher and pivoted for positioning movement toward and from the form, reversible mechanism for imparting stitcher-feeding and return movements to the arm, a lost-motion device in said mechanism, and means actuated by the traverse of the stitcher arm4 and controlling said mechanism for automatically reversing the travel of the arm at the completion of its feed stroke.

15. In-a tire-buildin machine, the combination of a rotary tire orm,tafstitcher havingl feeding and return movements thereover, a

l feed-screw, a nut engaging thescrew for feeding said stitcher, and a lost-motion connection between said nut and stitcher for accomplishing a dwell of the stitcher in contact with the material o'n the rotating drum before the stitcher begins its feeding movement.

16. In a band-building machine, the combination of a feed-screw, a nut member having a pair of half-nuts alternatively engageable with opposite-sides of said feed-screw,

an arm support'having a lost-motion feed connection with said n ut member, a stitcher arm pivoted on said Isupport for imparting the screw-engaging movement to said nut member and adapted tobe fed by the traverse thereof, :and a band stitcher carried by said arm. L

17. In a tire-building machine, the com'- bination of a rotary tire drum, a screw shaft mounted parallel therewith and having right and left threads, a pair of arm-supporting brackets guided for movement parallel with the shaft, a pair of nut members pivoted onsaid brackets and each havingapair of halfv nuts alternatively engageable with opposite sides of oneI of the screw threads, each of the vnut members having a lost-motion feed connection with its bracketfor accomplishing a dwell of the latter before beginning its feed movement, a pairof stitcher arms pivoted on the respective brackets coaxially with the nut members and each having an angular lost-motion connection with one of the latter, and tire stitchers carried by said arms.

l18. In tire-building apparatus, the combination of a rotatable tire-building form, a

v.stitching tool adapted to operate1 upon a tire4 on said form, a support' for said tool, a robers, a screw formed with ri A threads engaging said carriages adapted to tatable screw engagin said tool support adapted to' feed it in t e direction parallel to the axis of the form, and means for reversing the rotation of the screw# automatically when the tool support reaches adeterminate position.

19. In a tire-building apparatus, the combination of a rotatable tire-building form,.

revolvable .stitching members, supporting members for said stitching members, a rotatable screw formed with right and left hand threads engaging said supporting members adapted to feed them in opposite direcfeed them laterally of the form, respective power members on said carriages for moving the stitcher lmembers toward and away from vthe( form, means for rotating the screw and automatic means for actuatin the power members to movethe stitcher members toward the form momentarily before the screw initiallystaits rotating. 1

21. Tire-building apparatus as defined in claim 20 including means for reversin the direction of rotation of the screw an for concurrently moving 'the stitcher members away from the form automatically when a carriage reaches a determinate position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my y hand this 30th day of` November, 1929.

FLORAIN J. SHOCK.- 

